Zakrzewski family murders
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:13:57 PM Wikipedia source
The Zakrzewski family murders occurred in Mary Esther, Florida, United States, on June 9, 1994, when U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Edward James Zakrzewski II (January 31, 1965 – July 31, 2025), then 29 years old, killed his wife, son and daughter. When Zakrzewski's South Korean wife, Sylvia, sought a divorce, Zakrzewski attacked and battered his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her. Zakrzewski also killed his two children, Anna and Edward III, by fatally beating and stabbing them with a machete, with both children having defensive wounds found in the post-mortem examination. Zakrzewski fled to Hawaii and went on the run for four months before he surrendered himself on October 15, 1994, a day after his case was publicized by American crime documentary series Unsolved Mysteries. Zakrzewski was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death on April 19, 1996 by Okaloosa County Circuit Court Judge G. Robert Barron. Zakrzewski was executed by lethal injection on July 31, 2025.
Infobox
Location
Okaloosa County, Florida, U.S.
Date
June 9, 1994
Attack type
Murder, familicide
Weapon
Crowbar and machete
Deaths
Sylvia Zakrzewski, 34Edward Jon "Kim" Zakrzewski III, 7Anna Zakrzewski, 5
Perpetrator
Edward James Zakrzewski II
Tables
· References
Preceded byMichael BellJuly 15, 2025
Preceded byMichael BellJuly 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Preceded byMichael BellJuly 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Edward Zakrzewski II July 31, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Succeeded byKayle BatesAugust 19, 2025
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in Florida
Executions carried out in the United States
Preceded byMichael Bell – FloridaJuly 15, 2025
Preceded byMichael Bell – FloridaJuly 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Preceded byMichael Bell – FloridaJuly 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Edward Zakrzewski II – Florida July 31, 2025
Executions carried out in Florida
Succeeded byByron Lewis Black – TennesseeAugust 5, 2025
| Executions carried out in Florida | ||
| Preceded byMichael BellJuly 15, 2025 | Edward Zakrzewski II July 31, 2025 | Succeeded byKayle BatesAugust 19, 2025 |
| Executions carried out in the United States | ||
| Preceded byMichael Bell – FloridaJuly 15, 2025 | Edward Zakrzewski II – Florida July 31, 2025 | Succeeded byByron Lewis Black – TennesseeAugust 5, 2025 |
References
- Zakrzewski v. State [Initial brief of appellant], February 12, 1997, Florida Supreme Court (United States).
- U.S. Supreme Courthttps://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-8090/88903/20190220034918791_Zakrzewski%20USSC%20cert%20peition%202-19-19.pdf
- Lakeland Ledger
- Zakrzewski v. State [1998], Florida Supreme Court (United States).
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2025/07/02/edward-zakrzewski-florida-execution-desantis-death-warrant/84442168007/
- The News-Journal
- Deseret Newshttps://www.deseret.com/1994/10/17/19136507/unsolved-mysteries-logs-another-arrest/
- Pensacola News Journalhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-mary-esther-murde/147190956/
- The Naples Daily Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-naples-daily-news/135447675/
- Florida Todayhttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/177544940/
- Honolulu Star-Advertiserhttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/266954879/
- Ocala Star-Banner
- Sarasota Herald-Tribune
- Ocala Star-Banner
- Sarasota Herald-Tribune
- Ocala Star-Banner
- Tampa Bay Timeshttps://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/03/31/death-recommended-in-family-slayings/
- The Tampa Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/801229010/
- Tallahassee Democrathttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/247640563/
- The Tampa Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/340373244/
- News-Presshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-possible-rel/70431820/
- Fort Pierce Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/780400808/
- Sarasota Herald-Tribune
- Boca Raton News
- Zakrzewski v. State [2003], Florida Supreme Court (United States).
- Zakrzewski v. McDonough [2006], 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (United States).
- Zakrzewski v. McNeil [2009], 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (United States).
- Northwest Florida Daily Newshttps://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/2016/03/30/edward-zakrzewski-nears-20th-anniversary-on-floridas-death-row/32040989007/
- Zakrzewski v. Jones [2017], Florida Supreme Court (United States).
- CNNhttps://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/20/politics/death-penalty-ron-desantis-florida-parkland-shooting/index.html
- WJHGhttps://www.wjhg.com/content/news/Okaloosa-County-murderer-to-stay-on-death-row-493881091.html
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/florida-edward-zakrzewski-execution-8cb4f66fa6e7849d961fed5043e24313
- Tampa Bay Timeshttps://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/07/02/desantis-death-warrant-execution-okaloosa-murders-zakrzewski/
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/execution-florida-michael-bell-6273a24c4217059cff882e49e3cb1d21
- Sarasota Herald-Tribunehttps://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2025/07/01/desantis-sets-record-signs-death-warrant-for-1994-mary-esther-killer/84438679007/
- Naples Daily Newshttps://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/courts/2025/07/22/florida-supreme-court-upholds-execution-in-1994-murder-case/85329966007/
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/florida-executions-lethal-injection-edward-zakrzewski-b2800051.html
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/07/31/floridas-execution-of-man-who-killed-family-with-machete-is-a-record/85463840007/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/31/florida-execution-edward-zakrzewski
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/execution-florida-state-record-zakrzewski-b82efc17e3f6973d37ca34024292077d
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/07/30/florida-executions-texas-edward-zakrzewski/85199157007/
- CNNhttps://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/31/us/florida-execution
- News-Presshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press/43242379/
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/florida-execution-hutchinson-army-veteran-52a101e962857b3eeb7c005f28012013
- Hartford Couranthttps://www.courant.com/1995/06/12/slayings-overlooked-in-focus-on-simpson-2/
- Hartford Couranthttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/176657159/
- Northwest Florida Daily Newshttps://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/crime/2018/10/26/death-row-17-inmates-from-northwest-florida-face-death-penalty/9426419007/